Title issues in Tx.

I bought a used Hobie 16' about a year ago. It's in pretty decent shape, but it needed a few things before it could be sailed. Some other stuff came up, got busy, and it got put on the back burner.

My main problem. When I bought it, got it from a coworker, she did not have the title. It was in her name, we filled out the paperwork but the TP&W office is a good 30-40 minutes away and it would be closed by the time I got there from work.

Since then, she's moved. I don't have anyway of getting a hold of her. I have a bill of sale...how do I go about getting this done..wish I hadn't procrastinated.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. I would like to get this done ASAP.

From everything that I've heard about Texas & titles - you're screwed.

Do a forum search on it. There's a thread of woe and despair out there.

That's what I was afraid of :*( I remember the thread, I think. Been coming here off and on for awhile. I really hope that's not the end of this. I have the completed paperwork..but the girl doesn't live at that address anymore...I'd like to think they'd just let me change the address..but I know they will not.

You're not screwed, but you have made more work for yourself.

The important thing to remember is that "you have not used the boat on Texas water". Repeat after me. "I have not used this boat - it has been parked in my back yard."

Take the paperwork you have, a rubbing of the serial number and your checkbook. With luck, you can get it done in just a couple of visits.

Brian C

Lol. Why are those two phrases important? And that is infact the case. What all will I need to do? I called them right now and they said I could apply for a bonded title..but I was told it wasn't a for sure thing I'd get a title...in which case I'd have a very large paper weight.

I'm heading out there Friday after work. New job will give me enough time to get out there. Thank you for your time.

If you're in the Dallas area, avoid the TPWD office over in Garland. There's a lady working there who's mean as a snake.

Brian C

Hey Dog, since you're in Tx. You tell me what I should do, lol. I was able to find a number for the previous owner through the HR department where we used to work.

I called her and talked to her a bit.....after a ten minute conversation I was told that the boat wasn't hers, it was her husbands...and it was never in his name. They bought the boat from some friends of theirs and they never put the title in his name....so basically this boat passed through them, to me, and the title is still in a 3rd parties name.

I called TP&W and didn't tell them I had spoke with her. Just told them what I have and I was told the bill of sale was not appropriate..so it's not credible...the paperwork I have done is not going to help me at all...She said I can come down and get a owner information printout that will help me find the previous owner. From there, I will need to mail that to the previous owners address with a written out thing explaining what I want to do, etc...and from there I am supposed to get paperwork back from them that will help me get it put in my name.

If that fails, I can apply for a bonded title. They will take all the paperwork I have and it will go under review and it will either be approved or denied.

I think I have a large paperweight....

Extreme circumstances call for extreme measures. I would buy a "parts boat" that has a title and make the appropriate adjustments .

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1981 H16.
1993 Macgregor 26S

I'm contemplating just parting the darn thing out. It's a shame because it's in such good shape..but with 400$ into it..I could part out the boat and keep the trailer and probably be right where I am now, but with a trailer.

The sounds of it this will be a lot of work, and money too. The boat needs a couple hundred in it before I'd trust it out in the water(New tramp, new lines, one soft spot on right hull)...so even if it's put in my name I will have to still put even more money into it...by the time I'm done I would have been better to just go out looking for something new.

Seems better to just cut my losses, try to make some money, and start over :*(

I think Swampcreek's idea is good. A friend of mine just did that while restoring an MG Midget. By the time he was done, it was hard to say which car (if either) was in the majority. But he had a title which matched the VIN plate, even if it wasn't on the original project car.

Could you sell it to someone in a more tolerant state? Or trade it in on a new Wave? I think dealers have some kind of dispensation for lost titles.

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

I would absolutely love to do that. But wouldn't I make more parting it out? The boom, mast, sheets, all that stuff is in pretty decent shape. Surely that stuff would be worth something.

Also, the nearest hobie dealer that sells waves is a LONG way away. 6-8 hour drive.

Seriously, what is up with these states that require a title on a small sailboat? Are surfboards required to be titled too? I can see a trailer, as it it the means of transport over public roads, but a non-motorized small craft?

Sounds like a PITA to me. In Maine, there are no titles on small boats, no registration either unless it is fitted w/ a motor.

The 'parts' boat idea sounds like a good one. Or sell (ebay,craiglist) it to someone in another state, one which does not require titles? (no, I am not lookin for a 16 at this time )

Good luck with it.

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Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

Gdbryd,

If the boat is sound, I'd figure out a way to get it titled. I know it's possible to get a title for a vehicle when you don't have one (the boss did it for one of his MG's using a company called International Title Service). So I would think it would be possible to do it for a boat. Since we won't touch a boat without a title, we've not had to jump through those hoops. But we've had customer who have.

Wannahobie,

Don't move to Oklahoma.

Brian C

I went through something similar in ohio, only I had a title that the notary had not signed......and she was in Minesota...... In Ohio I had to have a title for the boat and the trailer passed on with only a weight slip.....

I feel your pain. Tracking down whomever has the title would be the cheapest.

Well..I went to my local TP&W office..and they tried to do a previous owner print out. The boat was apparently never registered in Tx. So unless I can find the previous owners...I'm screwed...She said there was absolutely nothing I can do. I can't even apply for a bonded title.

So crap. I put in an add to craigs list for the boat, for sale without title..and I've gotten 3 responses in just a few days..But I doubt any of these people understand that no title means no sailing.